This invention relates generally to ventilating air mattresses and to methods of making air mattresses.
People confined to bed for extended periods often experience ulcerations of the skin (e.g., bed sores). These skin ulcerations form when a patient's weight is not evenly distributed on the bed. In particular, the uneven weight distribution on the bed causes localized pressures (i.e., pressure points) which result in a compression of capillaries in the skin and thereby a restriction in blood flow. This restriction in blood flow may cause discomfort to the patient and may induce bed sores.
Therapeutic low air loss or ventilating mattresses have been developed to accommodate patients who are likely to be bedridden for extended periods. A conventional ventilating mattress has many perforations through its support surface through which pressurized air is forced at a controlled rate. These mattresses evenly distribute the weight of the patient to reduce localized pressures. This feature decreases the likelihood that any particular portion of the patient's body will be subjected to sufficient pressure to impede blood flow to skin tissue. Ventilating mattresses therefore decrease the possibility that patients will develop skin ulcerations.
Conventional ventilating mattresses are often formed with a plurality of inflatable mattress sections (e.g., a head section, a torso section, and a leg section) which may be inflated to different pressures. Such mattresses generally have tubes or conduits extending from a source of pressurized air to the mattress sections.
A disadvantage of conventional ventilating mattresses is that they are generally relatively expensive to make. Because of their expense, hospitals usually reuse them, necessitating that they be sanitized between patients to avoid cross-contamination.